FAQ

1. What is the Grand Street Complete Streets Pilot?

The Grand Street Complete Streets Pilot is a comprehensive redesign of Grand Street between Third Street and Eighth Street. It aims to improve safety, mobility, and accessibility as part of Hoboken’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.

2. When will the pilot begin?

The pilot is scheduled to begin on or about November 10, following milling and paving operations taking place the week of Oct. 27.

3. What are the main goals of the pilot?

The pilot aims to:

• Enhance traffic safety for all road users.
• Improve mobility and accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.
• Reduce double parking and congestion through improved curbside management.
• Support environmental sustainability and stormwater management.

4. What specific improvements are included?

The project includes:

• 23 high-visibility crosswalks for safer pedestrian crossings.
• 11 curb extensions to shorten crossing distances and improve visibility.
• Upgraded ADA ramps for better accessibility.
• A new protected bike lane on the east side of the street connecting to existing bike lanes.
• 36 new bicycle parking spaces, including six bicycle corrals to improve safety near intersections.
• Delineated on-street parking spaces for more organized parking
• The addition of all-way stops at three intersections (previously installed in early 2025)

5. Why is there a protected bike lane in the pilot?

The protected bike lane improves safety for cyclists and connects to nearby existing bike lanes.

Additionally:

• 36 new bicycle parking spaces will be installed in early 2026, including six bike corrals next to the bike lane to improve intersection visibility.
• The City will also explore adding smaller Citi Bike docks to enhance bike-share access.

6. Will parking be affected?

The City will pilot delineating parking spaces to make on-street parking more predictable and organized and will widen driveway openings, the combination of which can impact overall parking space count per block. Additionally, thanks to Hoboken’s upgraded street cleaning equipment, the City’s compact sweeper can clean the curb lane without requiring parked vehicles to move. This will allow the City to pilot a new schedule in which, residents parked on the east (protected bike lane) side of Grand Street will no longer need to move their cars every Thursday between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. for street cleaning.

7. What about deliveries and pick-ups?

The pilot will not add new loading zones to the corridor but rather improve visibility of existing loading zones through high-visibility striping and improved signage in order to increase utilization and better reduce double parking, ease congestion, and improve traffic flow along Grand Street.

8. Why is this project important?

This initiative builds on Hoboken’s commitment to Vision Zero and sustainable street design. By prioritizing safety and smarter curb management, the pilot supports:

• Safer walking, biking, and driving
• Cleaner streets
• More efficient deliveries and parking
• Reduced congestion and emissions

9. Why are changes to Grand Street necessary if Hoboken has not had a traffic death in eight years?

Maintaining a strong safety record requires ongoing improvements. The pilot introduces proven safety countermeasures like curb extensions, daylighting, high-visibility crosswalks, and a protected bike lane, to ensure streets remain safe for all road users.

10. How was the design for the pilot developed?

The project followed an in-depth engineering process using best practices, including the City's Street Design Guide, NACTO Urban Street Design Guide, NJDOT Complete Design Guide, and the Seperated Bike Lane Design Guide from the FHWA, and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). It also included input from public safety and the Hoboken City Council who ultimately approved the construction contract in 2025. The City will continue to collect feedback on the design from the community and make updates as necessary.

11. Why are there so many delineators or bollards on the street?

The flexible delineators serve multiple purposes including:

• Daylighting intersections to improve visibility for drivers and pedestrians, without impeding emergency responses
• Helping to ensure driveway openings are kept clear from overhanging parked vehicles
• Protecting the bike lane from encroaching vehicles

Flexible delineators are a low-cost way to introduce these elements to increase visibility, organization, and overall safety.

12. Is the travel lane narrower now?

Although the street may feel narrower due to the new layout, the travel lane still exceeds the MUTCD's required minimum width of 10 feet wide. Narrow travel lanes are a common feature on streets across the City and have helped create safer conditions throughout Hoboken by slowing vehicle speeds among other benefits.

13. Why was the parking lane moved?

The parking lane and bike lane were flipped to create a protected bike lane and to discourage double parking, which previously caused safety and visibility issues.

14. Will the City make adjustments during the pilot?

Yes, the pilot process is meant to accommodate design adjustments. The Department of Transportation and Parking and the City's Engineering Division are actively making adjustments based on a combination of community feedback, field observations, and data collected throughout the pilot. Staff have already addressed several site-specific concerns, and more adjustments will be made as needed.

15. What other improvements have already been made on Grand Street?

Earlier this year, the City:

• Replaced over 2,300 linear feet of aging water mains to improve water service reliability and reduce the likelihood of water main breaks
• Installed two manufactured treatment devices (MTDs) to enhance stormwater management and water quality
• Completed green infrastructure upgrades in support of Hoboken’s climate action goals

16. How long will the pilot last and how will it be evaluated?

The pilot will run for approximately one year. During that time, the City will:

• Collect data and community feedback including but not limited to speeds, stopping for pedestrian compliance, double parking frequency, street sweeping frequency, micromobility counts, and more.
• Evaluate curb management strategies to increase space for loading and short-term parking that previously occured in the bike lane
• Make adjustments to the design as necessary
• Assess whether to make these improvements permanent

17. Will there be any short-term impacts during installation?

Yes. While installation is substantially complete, striping and signage changes and other minor modifications may impact the street. Weekly construction impacts can be found online at www.hobokennj.gov/construction.

18. How do I provide feedback?

Send an email to GrandStreetPilot@hobokennj.gov. The City will also launch a survey in the coming weeks to gather community input.